Rick’s Heart Foundation supports the community of Cloverdale in Surrey, BC with two parade float entries in the Cloverdale Santa Parade, Sunday December 2, 2018.

Our signature pink fire truck and our trackless train wowed the tremendous crowd; we handed outcandy canes and the smiles warmed the hearts of all of us at Rick’s Heart Foundation. We were ableto participate in, and show our community spirit, and what we do to support the vulnerable in Surrey. “Thank you”, to the organizers, sponsors and volunteers that helped make this parade happen!

Rick’s Heart Foundation works hard to improve the poverty situation in Surrey and the surrounding greater Vancouver area by funding community building events and charities, addiction recovery centers as well as collecting monetary and clothing donations. For us, it is about helping the most vulnerable in tangible, measurable ways. We’re bold and we have big aspirations for impact in the City that has given us so much. We have been making a difference for more than a decade – and we’re just getting started. 2019 will be a big year for Rick’s Heart Foundation. Connect with us tohelp those who need support right here in our community this Christmas. God bless.

– Rick Diamond, Founder

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BC Children’s Hospital and Rick’s Heart Foundation are so proud to have won the Most Unique tree at the 2018 Festival of the Trees Whistler, what a gift. The best gift of all though, is the messages the tree contains, each ornament on the tree carries a story of recovery through addiction or homelessness. We are truly blessed at Rick’s Heart Foundation to share these amazing stories of recovery and to understand how some of these stories on the tree have touched people. It is wonderful to know this tree could help point someone in the direction of recovery, that’s the best Ho Ho Ho gift ever, one heart at a time.

To learn more about how you can help the mission of Rick’s Heart Foundation.

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Three short years ago a question, out of curiosity, was asked to 5 local shelters. “So, what do you do for hygiene amenities?” At this time we did not realize how many people in our own communities go without soap and hygiene amenities.

Disaster Aid Canada (DAC) does international humanitarian aid to people affected by natural disasters; including helping evacuees from the BC Wildfires. The Soap for Hope program was created to supply these disasters with soap. Something as simple as soap can save lives.

Three short years ago, the question “So, what do you do for hygiene amenities?” changed our focus solely on international aid to helping locally as well. DAC had an excessive amount of soap and shampoo products in our warehouse. We believe that supplies help no one by sitting in a warehouse. So, we reached out to our local community shelters. We honestly were shocked and never expected the responses we received. How is it our fellow community members go without something as basic as soap??

Soap for Hope is a conduit between the hospitality industry and community shelters. We have created a “Caring Community Partner” program where we collect the hotels’ used amenities, linens (towels, sheets, blankets) and other items that can be redistributed back into our community. The soap and amenities are sorted, reprocessed, and packaged to create a 5 piece Hygiene Kit (an individual bar of soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion). Linens are folded and counted. This a laborious process done by our dedicated volunteers. This program facilitates volunteer opportunities for a wide age range of people that come to our warehouse for some good clean fun! Each amenity is handled at least 8 times before they are redistributed back in the community. By looking at our products you would never know these were destined to be landfill. In 2017 we redistributed close to 500,000 products back into our communities (and international disasters).

Soap for Hope has 2 warehouses; one in Victoria and one in Airdrie, AB. This is where all the processing takes place. Products are now being distributed back to local community shelters from Victoria to Campbell River, Vancouver and Whistler, Airdrie, Calgary and the surrounding area. The potential to help has spurred us to reach each of these communities in a system of give and take. When we have hotels sign up for our “Caring Community Partner” program in a community, we then look to community shelters in that area to make sure we are giving back. We work with countless Rotary Clubs and Community Partners that facilitate this exchange. With this win-win system we are now supporting over 100 community facilities.

Our ultimate goal is to become the complete hygiene solution for those we serve. Our scope now includes vulnerable seniors, kids, food banks, 1st nations as well as shelters, transitional homes and neighbourhood housing. We have had to make adjustments along our three year journey. Some facilities need individual products and some need family sized products; some need our Hygiene Kits and others like loose product. The key has been to work closely with each facility to access how we can best be of service. There are a number of items we must purchase. These include deodorant, feminine products, toothbrushes and toothpaste. We are able to purchase these products with donations to the Soap for Hope program.

As much as we never could have anticipated the results of our initial question “So, what do you do for hygiene products?”, we could not be more proud of our accomplishments. This practical program is helping thousands of people and having an impact of thousands more. We are continually growing, we are continually reaching further and deeper into our communities, and we will continue to become the complete hygiene solution for those we serve. As we like to say, “No one should have to hope for soap!”

In 2019 Rick’s Heart Foundation will be putting “Heads with Music” into various nursing residences in the Surrey and Greater Vancouver area.

“Music is therapy. Music moves people. It connects people in ways that no other medium can. It pulls heart strings. It acts as medicine.” ~ Macklemore

This Program is going to bring so much delight to many Seniors who worked, fought and sacrificed to provide this and many generations to come, a free and marvelous home we call Canada.

During my personal journey with my late Father and his dementia, when he was listening to music it brought the life back into his eyes. He became alert to his surroundings and the spark in him returned.

Seeing as music evokes emotions that bring back memories, I have made it my personal endeavor to have music in as many Senior’s homes as possible. Starting with WHERE your dad lived in New Westminster, BC.

Musical aptitude and appreciation are two of the last remaining abilities in dementia patients. Knowing this is why I wanted to give my Father the gift of music. Seeing such a transformation with such a simple gesture of music was a huge heartwarming gift both for My Father and Myself.

On behalf of My Father and Rick’s Heart Foundation, this Program will be so positive for it will inspire smiles and joy. It will bring back memories of key moments of happiness to these Seniors: Especially those battling with Dementia, or Alzheimer’s.

Below are two links to some fascinating documentaries about music and memory:

Playboxes are big tool boxes located in the City of Surrey Parks which are stocked with all sorts of play and sports equipment. Everyone is able to sign up for FREE access to the Playbox, which is accessible from dawn to dusk, or when the park is open.

The Live 5-2-1-0 Play Boxes support kids and families in achieving the recommendations in the Live 5-2-1-0 message by making it easier for families to access free equipment and play actively together outside.

Live 5-2-1-0 Play Boxes are all filled with play equipment such as balls, hula hoops and frisbees, and more!

Rick’s Heart Foundation is excited for the opportunity to sponsor playboxes in 12 parks around Surrey